Welcome to CBL Backdrops!

Thank you for choosing to have a peek at Lucy’s photo backdrop store. The designs you see have been created from original photographs shot by Lucy from her travels around the world.

Every surface you see is a real texture or surface, all with a history of where it was captured on her backdrop adventures with her family and sister Natalie.

Some of the designs you see in the store started life as just a whisper of an idea, a collaboration with a much loved artist or photographer friend of Lucy's and some are doors and gates Lucy still passes on the school run and loves, or beloved props she’s had for years.

Each and every backdrop is an investment. In your photography, in your brand imagery, in your portfolio. And Lucy is always here to help you choose which is right for your colour palette, your Instagram feed, to create your distinctive style of photography or videography. Recognisable, and bringing to life your wonderful creative eye and vision.

All of Lucy’s backdrops are printed locally by a third generation print partner in Somerset and meticulously hand checked and packed by Lucy and Natalie.

There is no doubt this small family business of one and two half people relies not only on the wonderful people who shoot with the backdrops, but also on the local Post Office who have supported Lucy from the first tube back in 2016 and everyone who champions and appreciates the history behind the designs and truly personal service.

The difference is in the detail.

You won’t find the backdrops anywhere else, this is your one stop shop for beautiful food photography backdrops, for the perfect background for your product imagery or that vinyl backdrop to replace a dog eared piece of card that you shove under the bed or sofa. Just like Lucy did for years!

The idea for the backdrop store started in 2013 when Lucy was juggling her (award winning - it’s a little cringey to say!) blog and growing lifestyle photography business and was struggling to find high quality backdrops, hoofing her heavy marble topped old little table in and out of the kitchen. She realised there was an opportunity to challenge the perception of rollable backdrops for professional and hobby photographers and set about testing all the original surfaces she owned, all the prop trays and baking sheets and that marble table that started it all. The one you see in the backdrop store - the Grey Marble. To stand proudly in front of a product that was a high quality print, using lay flat material and with a story behind each surface. No wooden planks that are too close together, no marble that you can tell is fake from a mile off. A hand trimmed, hand packed product. Made with care, soul and love.

Surfaces with a story, for you to tell your own.

In 2014 with the help of one of the dad’s at her son’s school who owned a printing business, Lucy set about testing and sample scores of different materials in search of the most matte finish, lay flat, block out vinyl available. Lucy’s backdrops were tweeted to the world in July 2014 and the product evolved and was honed until June 2016 when the first set of Lucy’s photo backdrops were used at the UK blogging conference Blogtacular. Lucy leapt off a cliff that day. Sweaty palms, butterflies in her stomach and was blown away by everyone’s support and encouragement.

The Capture by Lucy Backdrop Store was officially live on 4th December 2016, set up in Lucy’s living room with her family as helpful post assistants in the school holidays. Now in 2022 her boys still help with post bags from the car boot to the local Post Office and everyone in Lucy and her sister Natalie’s family is part of the journey. In November 2017 Lucy’s dream came true and she carried a big bunch of flowers into the retail store on the day her sister handed in her notice. A month later they had a sibling business, and in August 2018 CBL found a new home at a lovely farm park near where Lucy lives in Somerset. Lucy has plans for workshops and parties, pop up shops and drop in sessions. It’s a dream come true for Lucy to work with her sister who became part of our two woman team in December 2018.

Never far from the kitchen table, the Covid crisis meant Lucy went straight back to the living room, tubes taking over a bookcase, the dining table becoming a packing table once again! A one woman backdrop band with Natalie and Emma on FaceTime through all the trials and tribulations of this unimaginable pandemic, effecting everyone across the globe.

Lucy’s mum aka Granny moved in to live with her just before the UK lockdown and she’s been a super star sticking labels on tubes and taken over the meet and greet through the glass in the front door with the lovely regular DHL driver. Lucy has kept shipping throughout, so incredibly grateful for all the photographers who shoot with her backdrops all over the world.

There isn’t a day that Lucy takes for granted, to be able to work from home, from the farm, with the people she loves, for people she loves! When you email or message, tweet or DM it’s Lucy on the end of the laptop or phone.

Thank you so much. Here’s to a new normal as we all come out of this worrying and testing time together.

Since Lucy launched the concept of the backdrops many have followed but Lucy remains committed to challenging the market, constantly improving in every way and proud to be the original creator of vinyl backdrops that replicated original surfaces in the UK.

Here’s to the next chapter in the Capture by Lucy backdrops adventure!